House rewire

[JohnW2]

I wouldn’t want Landing and hall on same circuit.

As I've just written, it doesn't really make any difference when there's a power cut (as I said, for me far more common than MCB/RCD trips).

Kind Regards, John

 

[John D v2.0]

Do I take it that you also have some battery-backed-up emergency lighting on your stairs? ....

Nope, I did say there's some debate, not that I was on that side! Although the DNO probably has a better service standard for getting the power back on than the landlord etc. Actually I split ours that way partly for convenience for the switching arrangements, but I did feel that having light available on the level you're on was a good thing to have.
To slightly get back on topic I think the sensible minimum would be two lighting circuits and two socket circuits split across two rcds, then you always have some lighting and some sockets even in the presence of a fault that can't be resolved.

 

[JohnW2]

Nope, I did say there's some debate, not that I was on that side!

As I suspected - but I'm sure you realised that my question was at least parially rhetorical

Although the DNO probably has a better service standard for getting the power back on than the landlord etc.

Probably true but, in terms of what people seem to worry about, even if the DNO were very quick, by the time they restored power one would already have dropped the pan of boiling oil, fallen off the ladder or down the stairs, or whatever!

To slightly get back on topic I think the sensible minimum would be two lighting circuits and two socket circuits split across two rcds, then you always have some lighting and some sockets even in the presence of a fault that can't be resolved.

Indeed. If one is splitting circuits, that's the obvious way to do it.

However, as I said, I can only speak from my personal experience, in a rural environment with largely overhead distribution. Since I stopped using incandescent bulbs (the death of which frequently tripped MCBs), I've experienced virtually no MCB trips and, in 35+ years of living with (many) RCDs/RCBOs, I've experienced only a very small handful of RCD trips - and even those have mainly been in relation to RCDs/RCBOs dedicated to 'high-risk' circuits (in particular, outdoor circuits). The most recent exception to that was a couple of years ago, when the death of an ancient freezer tripped its (dedicated) RCBO.

In contrast, in addition to the very occasional power cut of a few hours' duration, we frequently suffer power cuts lasting a minute or three, particularly when there is lightning within ~10 miles of here (in which case the power cuts are often repetitive). Hence, for me (and other people's mileage may obviously vary), battery-operated back-up lighting is, sensibly speaking, the highest priority (and obviously addresses both MCB/RCD trips and power cuts) - although I realise that there would still be appreciable inconvenience if one had to wait a long time for a landlord to address a fault that was taking out an appreciable proportion of one's circuits.

The point, therefore is that, for me, having circuits split across RCDs would, in itself, only address a pretty small proportion of all the occasions on which I am suddenly and unexpectedly 'plunged into darkness' - yet people seem to worry about the 'trips' and ignore the power cuts.

In my case, I only have those back-up lights (battery-powered PIR LEDs) in hall, landings and stairs, and in my garage (where my generator lives!).

Kind Regards, John

 

[mic2876uk]

Members of schemes can't notify other peoples work to building control - only their own work.
If you are doing the work, then it should be notified to building control by you before the work is started.


which basically means they couldn't be bothered with it, and want you to have an electrician do all the work and the notification.

You doing the work first and expecting it to be notified afterwards will result in problems.

Actually untrue, you can use a 3rd party to sign off electrical work it's called the 3rd party certification. The person inspecting the work should be involved from the design phase right through to final testing. I paid about £180 for the sign off of 2 new ring circuits.

https://www.napit.org.uk/schemes/third-party-certification.aspx

 

[EFLImpudence]

Actually untrue, you can use a 3rd party to sign off electrical work it's called the 3rd party certification. The person inspecting the work should be involved from the design phase right through to final testing. I paid about £180 for the sign off of 2 new ring circuits.

So - not untrue, then.

 

[mic2876uk]

So - not untrue, then.

Sorry my apologies, my statement was relating to this line "Members of schemes can't notify other peoples work to building control - only their own work."

I completely agree someone cannot just come along at the end test then give an installation certificate

 

[Taylortwocities]

Note that there are not that many electricians who have signed up to have the ability to carry out third party certification and notification.
It’s an extension to standard CPS membership. Not all CPS offer it at all.

and you must include your third party cert electrician from day one. Don’t expect them to come along at the end and “sign it off”.